In a world of increasing normality from our homes to our classrooms, English teacher Christopher Slovak is making an effort to bring some vigor back into the classroom. 

Today, August 29, just a day after his birthday, Slovak is introducing the school and his freshmen students to Slovak Uprising Day.

“We’re actually going to be using three Slovakian written stories in class, and discussing the history behind the whole thing.” Slovak said. “I am also passing out buttons for anyone that wants one.”

While students may have seen these buttons floating around the school, unless they are in Slovak’s class students probably don’t actually know the history behind the fun buttons and quirky wordplay.

“The Slovak National Uprising in 1944 was when Nazi Germany invaded Slovakia,” Mr. Slovak said. “A small rebel force banded together to try and overthrow their own government and get the Nazi regime out of their country.”

Although brave and commendable, this effort was not so successful for the Slovakian Uprising.

“They fought for about two months,” Slovak said, “however they did not win.”

But even after the defeat by the Nazis the peoples, spirit did not fade.

“Even though the Nazis ended up winning after those two months, they still had people fighting,” Slovak said. “They fought mostly by guerrilla warfare to keep things going until several larger countries stepped in a few months later and helped to push out the Nazis occupying their country, and they got their country back.”

As a way to make the day and assignment even more authentic, the Slovak and his wife DeAnna went above and beyond in preparation for this day.

“We do the buttons and Mr. Slovak does the assignment,” English teacher DeAnna Slovak said. “On top of that the actual worksheet is printed on paper made in Slovakia.”

On top of the obvious historical importance of this day, its relations to the Willis Slovaks are quite apparent, and the country and its history are held close to our Slovaks’ hearts.

“We would like to go there one day,” DeAnna Slovak said, “to visit the motherland, the mothership.”